A 39-year-old man was severely injured after a shark attack while spearfishing near Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Authorities tried to rush him to the hospital but were unable to save him in time.
On 24 May 2026, Australian police revealed that a 39-year-old man died following a shark attack at the Great Barrier Reef coral area around noon local time on Sunday. This marks the second fatal shark attack in Australia this month.
The incident occurred about 160 kilometers south of Cairns, a popular tourist city. The man, whose name the police did not disclose, was a resident of Cairns.
A spokesperson for Queensland Police said the victim was urgently brought ashore after being bitten by a shark near Kennedy Shoal, a shallow coral reef about 45 kilometers off the coast of Queensland in northeast Australia.
Authorities later confirmed the victim died from severe head injuries sustained during the attack while he was spearfishing.
"He was rescued from the water by another person who was with him at the time of the attack," said Ellen Burns, a Queensland police inspector, during a press conference. "It was a dangerous and horrifying event to witness firsthand."
Police are currently providing care and psychological support to three other men who were present at the scene. They were the ones who called the coast guard for help using a private boat and then traveled over an hour to bring the injured friend back to shore.
Queensland emergency services reported that the severely injured man arrived at the Hull River Heads dock at 1:00 p.m., where paramedics were already standing by. Unfortunately, the victim died at the docking point.
"This is a tragic incident for everyone involved," Burns said, urging the public to "continue enjoying our beautiful coastline but always remain aware of your surroundings."
Gerard Pike from Hooked Up Fishing, an eyewitness, said that at the time of the incident, his boat was about 6 miles from Kennedy Shoal. He saw many bull sharks exhibiting "aggressive and unpredictable" behavior in the area.
"We were fishing for Spanish mackerel when one fish was attacked by about six sharks just four meters from the boat’s side," he told AFP. "We didn’t even consider putting a toe in the water."
Pike added that he then heard a radio call from his boat requesting emergency assistance regarding the incident.
This latest attack is the third fatal shark incident in Australia this year and occurred just one week after a man was fatally attacked while spearfishing in Western Australia.
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Source:cna